Automobile-signal.



J. C. PERRY.

AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 15. 1915.

Patented Nov. 9, i915.

- 97 1766K (I 20v I JOEL C. PERRY, OF OCEAN GROVE, NEW JERSEY.

AUTOMOBILE-SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Pa-tented Nov. 9, 1915.

Application filed July 15, 1915. Serial No. 40,912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Joan C. PERRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ocean Grove, in the county of Monmouth and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile-Signals, and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to signals for use on automobiles for the purpose of indicating to persons coming behind the stopping, or change of direction of the car, and which is mostcommonly done by sticking out the hand of the chauffeur, or some one on the car, and my object is to provide a signal of this description which will be simple in its construction and, therefore, not liable toget out of order, and dependable in its action, capable of operation without any inconvenience to the person driving the car and so self-contained that it can be constructed in the form of an attachment enabling it to be applied to cars without any alteration thereof, and with this object in View my invention consists in the signal constructed substantially as hereinafter specified and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing the figure is a perspective view of a form of my invention shown applied to a car by being mounted upon the wind shield thereof.

Describing in detail the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawing, it will be seen that a box, or casing 10 is employed having brackets 11 by which it may be clamped, or secured to one of the vertical side posts 12 of the wind shield, so that it projects horizontally outward therefrom, and within said casing is pivoted an arm 1 to swing on a horizontal pivot l-it secured to the bottom wall of the casing, which arm extends through a slot 15 to the outside of the casing where it carries, or has attached to it a target, or signal 16, preferably in the form of a round flat plate, or disk, and which is preferably painted red.. Normal-1y, or when not in use, said arm hangs pendent, or vertically, so that the target, or signal is beneath the casing, and it is swung up from such position to a horizontal one so that it projects horizontally outward from the box, or casing to a position where it is conspicutions;

ous enough to be certainly seen by persons to be signaled. By reasgn of its pendent positron when not in use, 1 utilize gravity in its restoration from exposed, or signaling position, a thing which; of course, contributes anism.

to the simplification of the'operating mech- I use electrical devices for swinging the target,,,or signal to an exposed position, which devices include an el'ectro-magnet 1? mounted withln the caslng l0 and in a circuit'that; includesa' push button 18 mounted upon the 'steeringhandle, or wheel 19, and a suitable source of electric energy which may be a special battery provided for the purpose, or the battery with which the car is equipped for ignition, or other purposes By mounting the push button upon the steering wheel, or bar, the device may be operated without taking the hand from the steering wheel, and, hence the ordinary oporation of the car is in no Wise interfered with, or the driver discommoded in any way.

The armature 20 of the magnet is pivoted to hang vertically, and it has a downward extension in the form of a light 'rod 21,

which at its lower end terminates in, or has attached to it a ball-like enlargement 22 which engages one side of an extension 23 of the target carrying arm which projects upward from the pivot thereof and which is bifurcated, or forked to provide a slot 24 through which said armature rod passes and plays, and thus a balanced pressure applied to the forked extension 23: of the target-carrying arm. Said arm extension is curved so that its concave side is engaged by the ball-like enlargement and thereby the swing of the signal through an arc of ninety degrees, or quarter of a circle, is accomplished. So long as the circuit through the magnet is closed the signal will be maintained, or supported by the pull of the magnet in its exposed, or outstanding position, and immediately upon the breaking of the circuit by the release of the push button, the signal by gravity automatically drops into concealed, or non-exposed posi- Inasmuch as the signal swings upward with some force, I provide a stop to limit its upward swing, which stop in order to cushion the stroke, or blow it receives so as to prevent injury to it and objectionable noise, is in the form of a spring plate 25 which is attached to the back wall of the casing,

Inasmuch as the area. of a. disk, or target of suitable size to attract attention. may inolve an objectionable wind pressure, 1 pro-- ride it with suitably disposed holes, or per fora-tions 26 through which the wind may pass, and which, of course, have the further advantage of lightening the weight and so diminishingthe amount of power required to lift it.

For night signaling I mount within the casing 10 an electric lamp 27, preferably having a red globe, and which is included in the same circuit with the push button 18, a switch 28 being mounted within the casing by which, at will, either the lamp or the magnet may be cut into, or out of circuit so that either the lamp or the signal may be operated, but not both at the same time. preferably mount the lamp in a locking socket rather than a screw socket in order to avoid dislodgment of the lamp from vibration, but, of course, my invention is not limited to any particular manner of mounting the lamp. lhe front of the casing 10 and by front I mean that side which is turned rearward of the car,- is transparent, being preferably made of glass so that the lamp when lighted will shine therethrough and incidentally the mechanism within the easing may be open to inspection, and said front 29 is hinged so that it may be opened at will to give access to the interior of the casing for the purpose of operating the switch 28, or any other desired purpose. Preferably the back wall of the casing on the inside will be painted red so that at night when the lamp is lighted the red color of the back wall will contribute to the power of the lamp.

It will be evident that I have produced a signal that achieves the objects I have point:

ed out at the beginning of this specification- In particular the device for imparting movement from the armature to the signal is simple and efficient and one by reason of which close, or accurate fitting of the parts to secure proper action is not necessary and it constitutes a strong and durable motion transmitting medium. Of course, I do not restrict myself to the use of an enlargement 22 in the form of a ball, as it may be other than a ball shape.

It will be seen that all of the operating parts, excepting the push button, are mounted within a single casing so' that device is self-contained and. its parts are protected from injury and the elements.

Of course, I do not limit myself upon the mounting of my device upon the wind shield as it may be applied to other parts of the car,-but the wind shield location is a good one in many respects, such as that of con yenience in mounting it, and exhibition both to thepersons in the car who may, therefore, at all times know whether the device is properly working, or not, as well as persons outside the car who are to be signaled. Having thus described my invention what I claim is- A signal fol-automobiles comprising a casing, an electro-magnet and its armature within the casing, an arm pivoted within the casing and extending outside the same where it supports a signal, a forked extension of said arm, a rod extending from the armature through the space between the forks of the extension and having an enlargement engaging such forks, and means for opening and closing the circuit, through the magnet.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOEL C. PERRY.

Witnesses Eenns'r LT. VVooLs'roN, HOWARD S. Home.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of letents,

Washington, D. G. 

